Checklist template

Seasonal and holiday merchandising for grocery stores

A ready-to-use checklist with 112 items in 6 sections, covering Displays, Assortment, Signage, Cross-merchandising, Stock, Sell-down. Use it as-is in Bindy, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 112 Items
  • 92 Yes / No checks
  • 7 Scored ratings
  • 127 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Displays 18 items

  1. Season or holiday audited Short text
  2. Date the seasonal set was due Date
  3. Date the seasonal set was completed Date
  4. The seasonal set was built from the company seasonal plan Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The seasonal aisle has the number of sections the plan calls for Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A seasonal statement display stands in the lobby or inside the entrance Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Seasonal candy is set in the planned sections, such as bagged, boxed and novelty Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Header and decor kits sent for the season are installed Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Each fresh department carries a seasonal display, such as pumpkins, holiday cakes or poinsettias Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Outdoor seasonal pallets such as mulch, firewood, ice melt or pumpkins are straight and stable Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Seasonal shippers are placed where the plan shows them Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Frozen turkeys or hams in the bunker are sorted by weight range Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Heavy seasonal items such as charcoal, salt and water are stacked at floor level Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Seasonal displays have not taken over endcaps reserved for the weekly ad Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Decorations hang clear of sprinkler heads and light fixtures Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Displays from the previous season have been taken down Yes / No 1 pt
  17. A photo of the completed set was sent to the district manager where the company asks for it Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Impact of the seasonal displays Rating
    • Strong theme, full, built to plan 5 pts
    • Built to plan but thin 3 pts
    • Incomplete or off plan 1 pt

2. Assortment 20 items

  1. The seasonal item list for this holiday is on hand Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Number of items on the seasonal list Number
  3. Number of listed items on display Number
  4. The ten key items the company names for this holiday are all in stock Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Baking staples such as flour, sugar, canned pumpkin and chocolate chips have feature space before baking holidays Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Holiday meal items such as stuffing, cranberry sauce, broth and gravy are featured together Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Turkeys or hams are offered in a range of sizes Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Both fresh and frozen turkeys are offered where the plan includes both Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Holidays observed in the store's community are represented, such as Lunar New Year, Passover, Ramadan, Diwali or Cinco de Mayo Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Kosher-for-Passover items are displayed apart from regular items Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Grilling items such as charcoal, buns and condiments are featured for summer holidays Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Seasonal general merchandise such as decor, gift wrap or coolers is set Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Seasonal store-brand items on the plan are on display Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Seasonal produce such as corn, squash or citrus gift boxes is featured Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Seasonal beverages such as eggnog or cider are in stock Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Gift cards and gift baskets are displayed for gifting holidays Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Holiday meal and party tray order brochures are at the deli, meat and bakery counters Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Holiday pre-orders are recorded in one order log with pickup date and time Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Items added locally by the store were approved by the district office Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Completeness of the seasonal assortment Rating
    • All planned items on display 5 pts
    • A few items missing 3 pts
    • Many items missing 1 pt

3. Signage 19 items

  1. Seasonal header signs are from the current season's kit Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Every seasonal item has a price sign or tag Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Number of seasonal items found without a price Number
  4. A sign or aisle marker directs customers to the seasonal aisle Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Holiday store hours are posted at the entrance at least one week ahead Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Holiday store hours are posted at the customer service desk Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The pre-order deadline is posted at the service counters Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Pre-order pickup dates are posted at the service counters Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A thawing and cooking guide is displayed at the turkeys Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Large price-point signs are on the hero items of the season Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Seasonal signs are printed, not handwritten Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Ceiling danglers and window clings from the previous holiday have been removed Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Outdoor seasonal signs are weatherproof Yes / No 1 pt
  14. "While supplies last" wording is shown on seasonal items where company policy calls for it Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Clearance signs appear only once the sell-down has started Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Clearance signs state the percentage off Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Recipe cards or shelf talkers for the season are stocked Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Seasonal signs are bilingual where company policy or local regulation requires it Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Seasonal signage Rating
    • Complete, current, on theme 5 pts
    • A few gaps 3 pts
    • Missing or out of date 1 pt

4. Cross-merchandising 18 items

  1. Roasting pans, basters and meat thermometers are displayed near the turkeys Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Pie shells and whipped topping are tied in with canned pumpkin or pie filling Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate are displayed together for summer Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Buns and condiments are displayed near grilling meats Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Chips, dips and soft drinks are displayed together for big-game weekends Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Wine or beer pairings are displayed with holiday foods where local regulation permits Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Cards and boxed chocolates are displayed with floral for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Batteries, tape and gift wrap are displayed near seasonal gifts Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Clip strips and J-hooks in the fresh departments carry seasonal tie-in items Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Each tie-in item has a price at its secondary location Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Tie-in items placed on secondary displays are still filled at their home shelf Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Perishable tie-in items are displayed under refrigeration only Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Lighter fluid and other non-food tie-ins are not placed beside or above unpackaged food Yes / No 1 pt
  14. A recipe-based display carries every ingredient of the recipe Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Tie-in displays do not block access to the case or shelf they stand beside Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Tie-in displays were changed after the holiday passed Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Number of seasonal cross-merchandising displays in the store Number
  18. Cross-merchandising Rating
    • Relevant tie-ins in every department 5 pts
    • Some tie-ins 3 pts
    • None or unrelated 1 pt

5. Stock 17 items

  1. Seasonal allocations were checked against the plan on arrival Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Shortages on seasonal allocations were reported to the buyer Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Seasonal back stock is labeled with the holiday name Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Seasonal back stock is stored together in one area Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Number of pallets of seasonal back stock Number
  6. Seasonal displays are refilled from back stock every day Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Last year's sales and recap notes were used to place this year's orders Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Stock of the key holiday items covers the days left before the holiday Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Reorder cut-off dates for seasonal items are known to the department managers Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Freezer space was planned for turkeys or hams before they arrived Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Pre-ordered items are set aside and labeled with the customer's name Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Carry-over stock from last year was checked for damage before going on display Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Seasonal candy and baking items checked are within their best-before date Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Vendor-delivered seasonal items such as soft drinks, chips and greeting cards have extra deliveries booked Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Supplies of ice, bags and carts were increased for the holiday week Yes / No 1 pt
  16. On-hand counts of the ten key seasonal items are verified weekly Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Stock position for the season Rating
    • Covered through the holiday 5 pts
    • Some key items at risk 3 pts
    • Key items out 1 pt

6. Sell-down 20 items

  1. A sell-down plan with dates and markdown steps is on hand Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Reorders stopped at the cut-off date Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Displays are condensed as stock sells through Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Perishable seasonal items such as eggnog, fresh turkeys and poinsettias are marked down before the holiday ends Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Markdowns started on the planned date Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Markdown percentages follow the company schedule Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Clearance prices checked ring correctly at the register Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Clearance stock is consolidated in one location Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The space was handed over to the next season by the planned date Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Planned date for the next seasonal set Date
  11. Stock left after the final markdown was donated, returned or packed away as instructed Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Pack-away cartons are labeled with contents, count and year Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Returnable vendor items such as greeting cards were credited Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Seasonal units left one week after the holiday Number
  15. Sell-through of the seasonal program (% of units received) Number
  16. Recap notes for next year were recorded, covering what sold out and what was left Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Sell-down execution Rating
    • On schedule, little left over 5 pts
    • Late in places 3 pts
    • Large leftovers or no plan 1 pt
  18. Overall seasonal execution Rating
    • Set on time, complete and in stock 5 pts
    • Set, with gaps in displays, signs or stock 3 pts
    • Late or largely incomplete 1 pt
  19. Name of the person who performed the audit Short text
  20. Comments and notes for next year Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the Bindy template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In Bindy you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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